Bangkok —
Thai Police on Thursday denied a viral shakedown claim of a Taiwanese celebrity tourist, saying the tourist was drunk, uncooperative, and had in her possession an illegal vaporizer.
First our previous story:
Now for our update:
Metropolitan Police Bureau’s deputy commissioner Maj-Gen. Samroeng Suanthong revealed to the Thai press that he had met and discussed the incident with six policemen from the Huai Khwang Police Station involved in the incident.
They admitted that they stopped the tourist’s taxi at a checkpoint near the Chinese Embassy. The checkpoint was part of a routine traffic safety operation to reduce accidents over New Year, said Maj-Gen. Samroeng.
Since the tourist and her friends could only speak foreign languages, the six policemen were forced to speak in broken English and use hand gestures.
The conversation dragged on with difficulty, and the tourist, who made the claim, became agitated. She also did not have a proper visa and appeared intoxicated, added Samroeng, though the tourist claimed to have a VOA visa on her.
The senior police continued that the six accused policemen conducted a search on all the tourists and found a vaporizer on the Taiwanese actress. The policemen then warned her that a vaporizer was illegal in Thailand but insisted they did not fine her.
The tourists were then released without charges or fines, said Samroeng.
He also denied a claim that the policemen took the tourists to a blind spot to extort money, adding relevant officers are looking into CCTV footage around the area to prove the accused police’s innocence.
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